“Lady Karina!”

Mikhail, who had been released, came looking for Karina.

“Are you feeling better now?”

His handsome face was badly bruised.

‘You suffered so much in prison because of me.’

She felt terribly sorry.

“I’m fine. Rather, you went through hardship because I collapsed. I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. Please don’t say that. It’s enough for me that Lady Karina is safe.”

Mikhail tried to take Karina’s hand.

Jeremiah stepped in to block Mikhail’s action.

“What are you trying to do?”

Jeremiah asked with a frown.

“I’m just happy that Lady Karina is safe. Am I not allowed to express that?”

Mikhail glared at Jeremiah with cold eyes.

“Don’t act above your station.”

“My master is Lady Karina. Whether I’m overstepping or not is for Lady Karina to decide.”

Mikhail now openly called Karina by her name.

At this, Jeremiah’s eyes turned fierce.

“Do you think your crimes are erased just because you were released from prison?”

“Of course not. I plan to repay my sins by protecting Lady Karina more thoroughly from now on. I won’t leave her side for even a moment.”

Mikhail shot back boldly, almost shameless in his confidence.

“You’re talking nonsense.”

“Nonsense? I’m completely serious.”

It felt like sparks were flying in the empty space where Jeremiah and Mikhail’s gazes clashed.

Karina’s head started to ache from their battle of wills.

“Excuse me? I’m still a patient, you know? If you’re going to fight, both of you get out.”

“……”

“……”

With Karina’s firm words, their battle of wills came to a temporary end.

That afternoon.

“It’s mealtime.”

Mikhail entered carrying a tray with thin soup.

Jeremiah had been driven out of the room by Karina’s not-so-subtle hint that his presence was uncomfortable.

Even without that, he probably couldn’t have stayed by Karina’s side constantly due to the backlog of work.

Mikhail set the tray down on the bedside table.

Then he supported Karina to help her sit up.

“I asked them to prepare light food, thinking it might still be difficult for you to swallow anything.”

Mikhail had been constantly by Karina’s side since she woke up.

He took care of her attentively, continuously checking her condition.

“I brought it slightly cooled so it wouldn’t be too hot for your injury.”

Mikhail scooped up some soup with a spoon and brought it to Karina’s mouth.

“Here, say ‘ah’.”

Karina glanced at her own hand.

Strangely, the wounds on her hand had all healed and disappeared.

She saw clean palms.

A wave of embarrassment came over her at the thought of being spoon-fed when her hands were fine.

“I’ll eat by myself.”

Karina took the spoon from Mikhail’s hand.

Then she stirred the soup with the spoon and ate small spoonfuls.

The soup at just the right temperature went down her throat.

“How does it taste?”

It wasn’t heavily seasoned, being made as food for a patient.

“The taste is just bland.”

“That’s just right for a patient, they say.”

Mikhail watched Karina eat the soup with a bright smile.

Complex emotions were evident in Mikhail’s eyes as he looked at Karina.

Feeling this, Karina suddenly spoke up.

“I’m fine now. Didn’t you hear the doctor? He said I’ve almost fully recovered.”

“……”

“I heard you obtained a healing potion yourself and used it on me.”

Karina had heard the doctor who came to check her progress exclaim that it was like witnessing a miracle, looking at Mikhail beside her.

“I survived thanks to you again. I guess just granting you one or two wishes won’t be enough now, huh?”

Karina looked at Mikhail and said jokingly with a slight smile.

“But asking for lifelong support or to take responsibility for you with the wish rights is not allowed, okay?”

Karina had thrown out those words playfully.

But Mikhail’s expression was serious.

He took Karina’s hand in both of his.

Gently enveloping Karina’s hand from above and below, Mikhail called Karina’s name in a soft voice.

“Karina.”

“…Yes?”

She was surprised by the informal address, but remembering that she had told him to speak casually before, she let it pass.

Mikhail opened his mouth in a low voice.

“I have something I want to say.”

Mikhail raised his body and moved closer to Karina.

He matched his eye level with Karina’s and met her gaze.

“It’s a very important thing.”

Ruby-like beautiful eyes perfectly reflected Karina’s image in them.

Those eyes were still full of concern.

At the same time, they were brimming with affection for Karina.

‘Huh…?’

Karina suddenly realized, as if struck by lightning.

That the kind of affection pooled in Mikhail’s eyes was completely different from what she had thought until now.

‘No way… it can’t be.’

She tried to deny it, telling herself it wasn’t possible, but it was no use.

Looking straight into Mikhail’s eyes, there was no way to misunderstand the meaning contained in that gaze.

Karina’s eyelashes trembled finely.

She was too flustered and confused.

Even as she compulsively told herself it couldn’t be, she became afraid that Mikhail might bring up such a topic.

Karina did not want her relationship with Mikhail to change from its current state.

Even if Mikhail confessed his feelings to her, she could not return those feelings. She could not reciprocate.

Karina did not believe in the emotion called love.

She knew better than anyone how useless and worthless the emotion called love was.

And at the same time, she knew all too well how love could drag a person down miserably to rock bottom.

So she couldn’t bear it.

The moment Mikhail opened his mouth to speak, Karina spoke first.

“Mikhail.”

Karina’s voice calling his name was urgent.

Hiding her emotional turmoil, Karina hesitated for a moment considering what to say, then continued.

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to you that I’m safe.”

“No. I…”

“It’s thanks to you fulfilling your responsibility as my guard. There probably aren’t many people as responsible as you. I think I really chose my guard well.”

“……”

Karina continued speaking rapidly, not giving Mikhail a chance to interject.

“So I want you to continue being my guard.”

“…?”

Mikhail made a puzzled expression upon hearing Karina’s words.

“I like how things are now. I hope it stays this way in the future too.”

“……”

Karina forced a smile, her lips trembling.

“Can you do that?”

“……”

Mikhail’s expression clouded over.

The hurt was clearly evident on his face.

Unable to face that expression any longer, Karina lowered her gaze.

She didn’t want to hurt Mikhail.

But she had no choice.

The current relationship was for the best. She wanted to maintain this relationship.

She didn’t want to taint this newly formed relationship with the worthless emotion called love.

To the current Karina, her relationship with Mikhail was that precious.

Meanwhile.

Mikhail said nothing. No, he couldn’t say anything.

He couldn’t think of appropriate words to say in this situation.

He was rejected before he could even confess.

He was told she wanted to remain in this current relationship.

It was a clear rejection.

He couldn’t hide his disappointed expression.

It stung. His chest tightened with the deep sorrow and grief he felt in the depths of his heart.

He didn’t think Karina was rejecting him because she disliked him.

Surely Karina had affection for him.

She was the one who showed her genuine smile only to him. She was the one who showed her honest self only to him.

There was no way Karina would reject him for no reason.

Mikhail was curious about why Karina rejected him.

‘Is it because she’s not divorced yet? Because she’s still bound in marriage to the Grand Duke?’

But he thought that couldn’t be the case, given that she had already decided to divorce, planned it, and even declared to the person concerned that she would divorce.

It felt more like she was fundamentally reluctant for this relationship to change.

Mikhail intently studied Karina’s expression.

He keenly noticed that Karina’s eyes were trembling anxiously.

‘Rather than reluctance, is it closer to fear?’

When his thoughts reached that point, another reason came to mind.

‘Don’t tell me it’s because of that bastard?’

Mikhail’s lips pressed into a firm line.

If the reason Karina rejected him was because of the Grand Duke.

If it was because she became unable to trust people and came to distrust love due to the wounds inflicted by the Grand Duke. If that’s why she was rejecting him.

Mikhail’s jaw clenched tightly.

He thought that he shouldn’t leave her by that guy’s side after all.

‘I need to take her away quickly.’

Having guessed the reason, Mikhail quickly composed his emotions.

He had no intention of pressuring the wounded Karina and forcing his feelings on her.

“Lady Karina.”

Mikhail called Karina with a gentle smile.

When he put a little more strength into the hand he was holding, Karina’s gaze rose again.

“You remember you promised to grant my wish before, right?”

Karina hesitated before answering.

“…Yes.”

“I want to use that wish right now.”

“Now?”

He felt Karina’s hand fidgeting.

She seemed worried that he might use the wish to ask her to accept his confession.

“What is it?”

“Please let me stay by Lady Karina’s side in the future as well.”

“Huh?”

“Even after you divorce and leave the Grand Duke’s house. Please take me with you then.”

Karina’s eyes widened.

“You want me to take you with me?”

“Yes. Is that okay?”

“That’s…”

It seemed to be an unexpected wish, as Karina’s expression was clearly conflicted.

Mikhail added with a dejected expression.

“As you know, I’m a wanderer. I don’t really have anywhere to go or anything to do…”

“……”

“Please keep me around as your guard and use me usefully. I’ll be able to live comfortably while earning money too. Is that alright?”

“Umm…”

Karina trailed off as if considering.

“Lady Karina. This is using my wish, so you can’t say no.”

Mikhail strongly asserted, not giving Karina time to think, and asked again.

“You’re not thinking of abandoning me and leaving, are you?”

“Isn’t ‘abandon’ a strange way to put it? You have your own life too, I should let you be free.”

Karina objected, bewildered.

“That’s why I’m freely choosing to follow Lady Karina.”

Mikhail smiled prettily, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“If you don’t take me with you, I’ll just follow on my own.”

Mikhail filled his vision with Karina, his eyes full of obsession.

Even if she said she wouldn’t take him, he was determined to follow her no matter what.

After a moment of silence, Karina smiled as if she had no choice.

“If you really have nowhere else to go then, I’ll take you with me.”

“You said you’ll take me with you. Don’t forget. No changing your mind.”

Mikhail confirmed and reconfirmed as if asking for a promise.

“Alright.”

Only after hearing Karina’s definite answer did Mikhail smile gently as usual, relieved.

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day.

Three people were gathered in Karina’s room.

Karina was sitting with her back against the headboard of the bed.

Jeremiah and Mikhail were sitting side by side in chairs placed next to the bed.

After Karina woke up, Jeremiah had been busy receiving reports on the incident and handling the backlog of work.

But even so, he made sure to visit her three times a day without fail.

‘Why is he doing something he never did before?’

Karina was perplexed.

And the fact that he engaged in a battle of wills with Mikhail every time he came.

Even at this moment, there was a strange hostility flowing between Jeremiah and Mikhail.

‘Are they coming here to fight?’

Karina made a sour expression.

After being told to leave if they were going to fight, they didn’t do it openly anymore, but it was still uncomfortable.

‘Why do they insist on facing each other when they don’t like each other?’

It was incomprehensible to Karina’s way of thinking.

“Do you really intend to keep that fellow as your guard?”

Jeremiah’s expression showed he couldn’t accept it.

“I’ve already told you. Mikhail has saved my life several times. I need him.”

Even at the words that she needed Mikhail, Jeremiah still maintained his position of being unable to accept it.

Nevertheless, when Karina insisted firmly that it had to be Mikhail, he couldn’t force a change of guards.

“Didn’t you say it had to be me?”

Mikhail beside them gloated with a winner’s smile, acting triumphant.

Jeremiah glared at Mikhail with a fierce expression.

Mikhail met that gaze head-on without avoiding it.

This created a tense atmosphere that seemed like a fight could break out at any moment.

“You’re not thinking of fighting again, are you?”

Karina immediately intervened.

“……”

At this, both of them turned their heads towards Karina while glaring at each other until the end.

‘Sometimes being sick is helpful too.’

It seemed they both softened a bit when dealing with a patient.

Knock knock.

“Your Highness. It’s me.”

Just then, Ron came to Karina’s room.